It’s this same grouping that|invariably enjoys a much higher profile during the Championship season and who are treated with respect, indeed in some cases awe, by opponents.

I am referring here to free-takers, that noble body which can quite often almost single-handedly influence the outcome of games.

While there has always been|considerable emphasis on the part that free-takers play, their importance to their teams has been further enhanced in recent times following the decision to allow frees to be taken from the hands as well as from the ground.

As a consequence, there is perhaps a higher ratio of points being scored via both methods meaning, too, that we now have football matches returning final score lines that would do justice to hurling contests!